Voice of Reason II – The Problem
Five and a half months before the end of harmony
Princess Celestia knocked gently on the dormitory door, her breath held as she readied herself. She’d done this before so many times. She shouldn’t be fazed by this anymore. Her instincts, however, told her that this shouldn’t come naturally, that it shouldn’t simply be another act she had to carry out. It wasn’t just anypony behind that door. It was a friend.
“Come in,” came a voice barely above a whisper.
Celestia pushed open the door to find scattered papers, disorganised living space and a pony hunched over a desk at the end of the room, staring out of the window. She stepped towards him, nodding to her guards for a moment’s peace.
“I never noticed how beautiful this place was,” the stallion remarked, his smile overshadowed by the barrage of tears across his face. “Even when you first took me in I could hardly even see it. The way the pillars twist and turn. The way birds circle the trees in the courtyard. The way the sky contrasts against the earth…” He turned towards the Princess, taking a deep breath. “It puts things into perspective.”
“I take it you already know what I’m about to tell you.”
Voice of Reason smiled harder, his eyes swelling to near bursting point. “Thank you for trying, Princess. I really do mean that.” He looked away for a moment, taking in the view outside once again. “How long do I have?”
Celestia moved closer, draping the tip of her wing on his back. “We don’t know for sure,” she said softly, feeling the onset of anxiety. “At best, you’ll live another two or three years. At worst…” She cleared her throat, regaining her composure. “Six months. Once the tumour grows large enough, your brain function will begin to deteriorate. After that, you’ll lose control of your bodily functions. I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
There was a moment of tender silence before the Princess spoke again. “There was something you wanted to do, wasn’t there? In case this happened.”
“If it’s not too much to ask.”
“By all means.”
Voice of Reason arched his back, stretching his weary limbs. He’d been sitting in that same spot for almost two days. “I was never fortunate enough to have friends. After what happened with my father, I found it difficult to do anything. It’ll come as no surprise that I never really formed any kind of relationship with anypony. After something like that, I couldn’t trust anyone.” He gazed deeply into Celestia’s eyes, forcing the corners of his mouth into a grin. “But you showed me that I should learn to trust. I… I think I’m ready.”
Celestia smiled comfortingly. “I know you are. I’ll make the arrangements. I think you and I both know what needs to be done.”
“It would mean the world to me.”
“Then I’ll write a letter to Twilight about your situation. If there’s anypony I trust, it’s the Elements of Harmony.”
“Please, don’t!” Voice cried with exasperation. “I don’t… I don’t want them to pity me. That’s why I don’t want any more doctors or shrinks. I want to experience the magic of friendship the way it should be. And when the time comes, I’ll tell them myself. Please… At least let me have this.”
It took all of five seconds for the Princess to mull things over and nod sagely. “As you wish.”
“Thank you! Thank you!” Voice leapt from his seat and embraced Celestia’s foreleg. “You truly are a saint. Thank you! Thank you!”
“It is the least I can do.”
Celestia trotted back into the hallway and reunited with her guards. As she paced her way back towards the exit, she was met with her sister walking towards her. The Princess of The Night looked furious.
“What brings you here, dearest sister?” asked Celestia.
“Have you already spoken with him?” Luna blasted, her face tensed.
“Yes. And I have decided to let him stay with the Elements for a while.”
“Don’t be so foolish, Celestia! Do you really not see the problem?”
The royal guards appeared unsettled, as if they were expecting a full-on brawl between the two alicorns. A small gesture from Celestia, and they backed off. “I do not think the problem is as big as you seem to believe. Twilight is stronger than you know and her friends are just the same. I owe this stallion.”
“You say that the Elements are strong, and I agree with you. However, this is far too reckless. To palm off a dying pony and expect them to cope—”
“Voice has requested that we do not tell them, and I have given him my word. He will tell them when he is ready.”
“You did what?” Luna shook her head in disbelief. “I hope you understand what you are doing, sister, because I do not. The Elements are not experimental guinea-pigs for you to prod; they are not here to be tested for such things as this!”
“Calm yourself, Luna. You and I both know that Twilight will eventually become one of us, and she’ll have to deal with these things in due time. Out of all the ponies I know, they are the ones most likely to give Voice the final few days that he deserves. I am doing this out of kindness, not cruelty, and certainly not stupidity.”
Luna backed away, refusing to face her sibling. “I hope you’re right,” she seethed, and began to walk in the other direction.
Celestia reassured the guards, but reminded them to keep quiet about this affair. Equestria would surely overreact to the bickering of its two rulers. She sighed, and carried on with her day, trying to forget what Luna had said.
Meanwhile, Voice had bolted the door to his room. He had cleared the desk entirely save for a single leaf of parchment. The stallion smiled to himself, tossing aside his quill and picking up a small pack of crayons from the floor. He singled out three colours — purple, pink and blue — and began to draw.
He was a dead pony walking.
And he couldn’t be happier.